Israeli army: Gaza war will last "many more months"
Army chief Halevi said that there is no "magic solution and no shortcut, except to be persistent and determined in the fight" in the thorough destruction of a "terrorist organization".
On Wednesday night, explosive fire could be seen in the sky over Chan Junis and eyewitnesses spoke of fighting on the ground. The largest city in the south of the Gaza Strip has been a focus of Israeli attacks since the army said it had largely taken control of the north of the Palestinian territory.
Massive bombardments were also reported from the refugee settlements of al-Maghasi and al-Bureij in the center of the Gaza Strip. In the north, fierce fighting broke out on Tuesday morning in the Sheikh Radwan district of the city of Gaza and in Jabalia. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously announced an "intensification" of the attacks.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden's National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, met with the Israeli Minister for Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer. Among other things, the conversation was about a "transition to a different phase of the war" in order to "maximize the focus on important Hamas targets", a White House representative said afterwards. The damage to civilians had to be minimized and the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip improved.
On Wednesday night, the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and US President Biden held talks. According to the Qatari Foreign Ministry, they discussed ways to achieve a "lasting ceasefire". A ceasefire lasting several days was agreed at the end of November under the mediation of Qatar, during the course of which 105 hostages held by Hamas were exchanged for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
The Gaza war began on October 7 with an unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel. Hundreds of Hamas fighters committed atrocities, according to Israeli figures around 1140 people were killed and 250 others were taken hostage in the Gaza Strip. 129 hostages are still in the Palestinian territory.
In response to the Hamas attack, Israel has been attacking targets in the Gaza Strip ever since. According to the latest figures from the Hamas Ministry of Health, which cannot be independently verified, more than 21,110 people have been killed so far. On Tuesday, the ministry spoke of 195 deaths within 24 hours.
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The Israeli army's prediction of "many more months" for the Gaza war echoes the sentiment of Army Chief Halevi, who sees no shortcuts to defeating the terrorist organization in Gaza. The ongoing conflict has seen intense bombardments in various areas of Gaza, including Chan Junis and refugee settlements like al-Maghasi and al-Bureij. US President Joe Biden's advisor met with Israel's Minister for Strategic Affairs to discuss a potential shift in war strategies, focusing on crucial Hamas targets while minimizing harm to civilians. Following this, Qatar's Emir and Biden held talks to explore paths for a lasting ceasefire, which was previously achieved under Qatar's mediation in November. The Gaza war, sparked by Hamas' unprecedented attack on Israel in October, has so far resulted in over 21,000 reported deaths, including 129 hostages still in the Gaza Strip, according to Hamas' health ministry. The Qatari government and President Biden are now working to achieve a long-term truce in this conflict. Moreover, despite the ongoing hostilities, Qatar and Biden are engaged in efforts to negotiate a ceasefire that could sustain for an extended period.
Source: www.stern.de
